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The Editor
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© F.Coakley , 2024
[Extracted from IoMNH&ASoc Field Section Notes and Queries vol 1 No. 11]
- a preliminary report by W.J. Scatchard -
Beckwith's mine, situated on the northern slopes of South Barrule in the parish of Patrick (SC254778), was a major lead-producing mine of the Isle of Man Mining Company between 1830 and 1879. Its isolated position helped to protect much of the surface structures and many of the original buildings survive.
In July 1969, a preliminary site inspection was carried out with a view to assessing the value of the buildings as industrial monuments. During the course of this investigation, in an area of spoil on the south-west edge of the workings, a part of a wooden trough was found exposed, togethez with a small, square-sectioned, wooden duct. This find encouraged a closer scrutiny of this area and in a section to the east of the wooden structure - dominated to the south-east by a small wheelcase - was found what appeared to be the outline of two circular buddles as well as a series of masonry walls,
At this stage research was made into the mining records existing in local archives. Two sources provided scanty clues to the age of the surviving remains, A report book of the Isle of Man Mining Company showed that the washing floors at the mines were remodelled in 1865 while the 25" O.S. plan of c.1869 showed the wheelcase isolated in spoil with the contemporary washing floors shown well to the east.
During September 1969 (with the consent of the Isle of Man Forestry, Mines and Lands Board and the Manx Museum), an exploratory excavation was commenced at the wooden trough, in the hope that a firmer date could be established. As the trough and associated ducting were cleard it became apparent that these were the remains of a hand-jigging apparatus.
On excavation, the jigger was found to lie east-west and was constructed of pine boarding. The trough was divided across the centre by a half-board, with a duct in the east end which appeared to be its water feed. A drain hole was evident in the south wall. This led off into drain ducting running the full length of the trough. Within the trough were found the remains of an iron jigging-handle still attached to the wooden frame of a sieve. Small pieces of zinc screening, coated with fine galena dust, were found on the floor of the trough. A small set of bearings, 6 pair of bevelled gears and a small, square-sectioned iron collar were also found within the trough but could not be identified as part of jigging machinery.
To the south of the structure the remains of a small shute, also in wood, were revealed. This appeared to have been set at the end of a wheel-barrow welk from the east of the floors having an upright wheel-stop at the east end and a short shute, dropping to a lower level, to the west. The position of this shute would appear to indicate that it was related to the ore dump for the Jigger.
On completion of the excavation of the hand-jigger the run of the feeder duct was traced east and this revealed a complex of ducting and masonry features between the jigger and the wheelcase. At this stage it was evident that a complete washing floor lay buried at this site.
Work recommenced in an area to the south-west of the wheelcase where a series of wooden ducts were revealed. As excavation progressed a series of wooden jigger-troughs and associated ducts came to light. Four rail-chairs from a bar-iron railway system were found dumped in one jigger-trough and these provided the first concrete evidence as to a precise date for this washing floor. From the Company records it was known thet the bar-iron railway was superseded early in 1845, all rail being replaced. It would therefore seem that this floor wes not operational in that year. A McTurk penny token was alse found about this time close to the wheelcase, which would tend to confirm 1830\u201445 as the working span of this washing floor.
Completion of this part of the excavation revealed a complex of wooden ducts amd troughs tegether with a section of the paved flooring into which the bases of wooden roof supports had been set. The largest structure in the area was a pair of wooden troughs, lying east-west, each measuring 10'6" long by 4' wide. These troughs had been divided 7'2" from their eastern end by an upright board. The troughs were served at their eastern end by a wooden tank, 4' long by 3' wide, the bottom of which was lined by a rough iron plate. This tank was connected to the jigger-troughs by two 4" square wooden ducts 4' 6" long. The eastern end of the jiager-troughs was not vertical but set at an angle of aproximately 60 degrees, apperently to act as a shute when crushed ore was tipped into the troughs for treatment.
Drainage from the troughs was by way of gated sluices, at their western end, which led into a wooden duct running the length of the western end. This duct was joined at its northern end by a 4" square wooden duct running east-west down the floor. At its southern end this duct fell 2" into another east-west duct. Situated centrally along the duct was what appeared to be an overflow, set half way up the well, this also ran west down the floor. On the floor-of. the trough were small pieces of perforated zinc screening, but in this case they had much deteriorated.
The ducts in the area were either 4" or 10" square, having a loose board lid and being strengthened in places by wooden stretchers rebeted into their wooden walls. Such ducts can be seen in many of the surviving ; photographs of the washing floors of Manx mines, that of the main washing floors at Foxdale, for example.
The paved floor showed mainly to the north of the jiggers and the wheelcase and is made up of slate slabs set in crazy-paving style. The rotting stumps of timber roof supports were still visible in place.
With the completion of clearance of the higher jiggers, work was sterted on the circular buddles to the south of the jigging complex. The south- westerly buddle was found to be 18' in diameter. The bowl of the buddle wes in dressed slate chamfered in at the bottom. A wooden stump came to light in the centre. A series of wooden beams were set round the bowl, near to its bottom, and the discovery of some coarsely perforated iron screening - much trusted - suggested that these had been the framework for a screen. Clearance of the south-easterly buddle was started but it became clear that it was a duplicate of the first and work was discontinued as it was thought undesirable to expose structures to an unnecessary risk of damage.
When excavation of the structure started it soon became clear that it differed in many details of construction from the first pair. Although approximately the same diameter, the structure had a paved walk round its edge on the south side and at the eastern end was a bay where the working platform was set at a lower level, the paved walk continuing round the north and west Sides at this lower level. In the south-west wall a sluice gate gave eccess to a wooden drain at the base of the bowl. Above this, running south, was 3 walled enclosure with a wooden floor, possibly an ore-drying floor. The stump of a wooden post (buddles usually are provided with a centrally-attached stirring mechanism reminiscent of the rotating arms to be seen at small sewage works) was again found in the middle of the bowl.
Part of a piece of machinery was found in the buddle, namely, an iron rod some 7' long. Perforated zinc screen was set round one end some 4" out from the rod and the other end was provided with a bevelled gear, and a series of iron spokes set through the rod for a distance of some 18",
Some tentative work was done on the masonry structures between the jiggers and the buddles, but not sufficient to draw any further conclusions. As it was felt undesirable to expose any further structures before a plan could be made for their preservation, work has now ceased,
It is apparent that this is one of the earliest known washing floors yet discovered in the Isle of Man and a more complete excavation would clearly reveal a great deal of interest and importance. Most of the structures found are in a good state of preservation and might be restored to make an industrial archaeological exhibit of a high order.
I would like to thank all those who helped with this work and, in particular, the Manx Museum, the Board and staff of the Forestry, Mines and Lends Board, and also the Civil Defence Commission for practical help in excavation.
W.J. Scatchard, 14th April 1971.
As has been indicated, most of the structures exposed could be preserved in situ as a unique demonstration of the workings of an early nineteenth century washing floor. As a first step it is essential that the protective fence roumd the excavation area be maintained to prevent the passage of motor cycles, or other vehicles,
The mines buildings comprise the Mine Captain's house, an office, a powder house, several engine houses (one with wheelcase attached), the washing floor which was the site of the excavation, remains of a further washing floor etc, in the gully below, an unusually fine wheelcase from which a long tunnel - for the pump rods - runs up to the main shaft. The structures are fairly close to the road leading to Glen Maye and only limited work with a bulldozer would be necessary to provide parking space for visitors - access by car is already possible but it is desirable to keep future traffic to the north of the main area to avoid damage to the structures still buried in the spoil. Some clearing of rubbish, including vehicles, is also needed.
If the site was tidied and the buildings labelled it would require only a large notice board with a site plan and signposting to make the area into a tourist attraction. In Lathkill Dale in Derbyshire a very much less well-preserved mine site hes been preserved, with considerable labour and expense, and as a result of the growing interest in industrial archaeology has attracted many visitors. Visitors to the Isle of Man are increasingly bringing or hiring cats, so an outdoor museum of this type, perhaps provided also with a picnic site and other amenities as suggested by the recent report on tourism, would undoubtedly be a viable proposition.
The vast majority of the buildings are in a reasonable state and, indeed, the small office building could perhaps be repaired as a site museum, Some consolidation work might become necessary on the Mine Captain's house (the building nearest the road) and if the lower wheel was included some preparation of the path might be needed. Attention to drainage and, if the jiggers are preserved in situ, a wooden walkway to prevent damage might ultimately be required. However, the initial outlay to preserve this industrial monument would be slight and its preservation would inconvenience no-one. The members of the Isle of Man Natural History and Archaeology Society Field Section would, therefore, like to suggest thet serious consideration be given to preserving this mine complex as outlined above. It is likely that the Manx Conservation Council would also support this proposal. Members of the Society would be happy to discuss this matter further if this would be of any help.
(Measurements have been taken of the whole mine complex and in due course a complete plan will be prepared. However, work on recording the precise details of all the surface structures is still in progress, so the plans do not accompany this report.)
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Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received
The Editor |
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